Converter supporting car



Dec- 14, 1954 w. H. WRIGHT Erm.

CONVERTER SUPPORTING CAR 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 1. 1949 INVENTORS WILBERT H. WRIGHT & ANTHONY B. CAVALLE ATTORNEY Dec. 14, 1954 w. H. WRIGHT E-rAL 2,696,663

CONVERTER SUPPORTING CAR Filed Aug. 1, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 WILBERT H. WRIGHT 8. ANTHONY B CAVALLE n :o BY

ATTORN Y IN VENTORS.

Dec. 14, 1954 w. H. WRIGHT Erm. h 2,696,663

CONVERTER SUPPORTING CAR Filed Aug. 1, 1949 5 sheets-sheet a INVENTORS WILBERT H.WR|GHT L ANTHONY B. CAVALLE ATTORNEY Deck 14, 1954 w. H. WRIGHT Erm.

CONVERTER SUPPORTING CAR 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 1, 1949 INVENTORS.

WILBERT H. WRIGHT 8 ANTHONY B. CAVELLE ATTORNEY Dec. 14, 1954 w. H. WRIGHT ETAL CONVERTER SUPPORTING CAR 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 1. 1949 r Illia INVENT ORS WILBERT H. WRIGHT 8. ANTHONY B. CAVALLE ATTORNEY United States Patentf` CONVERTER SUPPORTING CAR` Wilbert- H. Wright and Anthony B. Cavalle, Wirtony, W. Va., assianors to NationalSteel Corporation, a cor-H The present invention relates to -Bessemer or converter plants and more particularly relatesf-to an improvedw converter plant in which the converters are-relined inV a novel manner by means of improved'apparatus .inc11 1d., v ing a novel car for supporting a converter while :being relined.

Inconverter plants, there is one and-usually. a plurality Molten pig iron is periodically'. poured of converters.

into the converter and then an air blastissblown -th'roughgi the molten iron to reduce the. silicon, carbon andmetal-L loids present in the iron. After the metal has been blown, the resultant producty may be moltenisteel, Bessemer steel, or the blown metal may be charged into an open hearth to produce open hearth steel by thef so-called duplex process or ybyga modification of this process.

Each converter is mounted on trunnions carried-by xedpiers or supports in a permanent Alocation-or blowing station. ing the converter also is installed at the blowing station.

The necessary auxiliary equipmentlforoperat- Y At intervals, the converter, which is `essentiallya steel".

shell lined with refractory material,.must be-shut down to permit repairs to or replacementv of the refractory lining which is eroded during the blowing operations.

2,696,663 Patented Dec. 14, 1954 a relatively shortfperiod duringwhichthe blowing station-v is not in operation.. The eroded converter removed-from the blowing station is placed on the converter car'at the relining station and thenbecomescthevspareconverter@ after. relining.' After being relined, ythe. converter -can be used' to replacea converterA atany one of the blowing stations. The car. that supports they spare'converteris.- constructed in a novelrmanner 'tofacilitate'the removal--I from and the placementthereonof a converterH andv to facilitate the relining .and repairy of ay converter `whilev being supportedby thecar. Other'equipmentfincluding'f; an improved building is alsoprovided at1the reliningl station. to, aid `inrnore quickly. and:v easilysrelining theyconverter on tht`=...car.4 Not only is.ther'tirnerlostSarthe.v blowing station greatly reduced; '.buti the time fand-.effortI required for relining4 a converterfrafter,removalnfrotrnthea. blowing station is reduced..

These and `other objects and-.advantageswill become.: apparent from the following description, takenwith they` accompanying drawings, 1 in which:

Figure l is a plan viewfof ya converter plantenrbody-inggr the principles of the present invention and havinggsome... portions `removed to `better illustratethe presenttinvention;

Figure 2 is a side view partially in section ofthe-plantof Figure 1;

Figure 3'is an enlargedA view in elevation of `the,.con:. verter arranged for blowing .metal that is shown.. inzJ Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an .enlarged sid`e,=elevational viewof thea. converter car of Figure l;

Figure 5 is anfend elevational view-of .the converter.. car ofFig'ure 4; and, l

Figure 6 isa sectional .view `take'nalongline V6,-:6of :f Figure 4.

Refer-ring tothe drawings and `particularly Figuresl l,

- and 2, the. converter plantinclude's a blowing station .10...V

The converter can not be operated while it is being.:

relined so that when it is necessary to reline.A the converter, production of the plant drops materially. If two converters are used in thev plant, production drops fifty percent. In addition to the drop in production, a large quantity of auxiliary equipment is either. idle or is being used at only a small part of its total capacity. This in turn increases the capital investment required per ton` of blown metal'produced. The plant ymust be designed to produce, when in operation, blownmetal at a relativelyl higher rate in order to maintain the relatively lower average rate which will result in the necessary production over a period of time. If the'plant mustproduce a thousand tons of blown metal during a certain period,

then the plant must have amaXimum-converter capacity greater than this quantity to allow -for the time when'the converters are not in operation and .producing blown metal.

It is an'object `to provlde a novel converter car=for use in a converter plant to facilitate relining andrepairing a converter.

It is an object.v of the presentinvention to'providea f novelconverter car that will supporty and hold'the con-v verter in the desired one of a number of up-ended posi.l

tions that will facilitate relining the various portions of*v the converter.

ln accordance with the present invention, there rare provided an improvedmethod of Voperating a-'converter` plant and an improved converter plant; or .systeminclude ing a novel converter whichenablesa .converter to be.

more readily relined or repaired while maintaining.pro.4

duction of blown metal .atxall of:theblowing .stationsi:

ln addition to one or a plurality of :blowing stations,.-

each including a converter mountedonxed supports for blowing metal, the converter systemincludes a novel..

reliningor repair station at which-there `is a novel, movl able car carrying a spare converter. When one ofthe converters at a blowing station becomes; eroded` and.

must be relined,with"refractory material, -this converter# is exchanged .foi-theV spare converter on `the-car.

The

eroded converter. -is i removed -ifromtheblowing l,station Usually, there willbe a pairI or a numbenof pairs'of.A similar blowing stations in the plant.. ..An overheadrcrane.: 11 is mounted on building columns 12 disposed atopp.` site sidesof-the enclosingc building, shown'inpart, which may .be of any suitable .type.. .Thefcrane.12.includes. a... main, motor driven-1carriage3-14 mounted on,y rails. `15.` carried bythe-two setsfof.buildingcolurnns112 so that..r the crane carriage 14 .can..move:longitudinally`of the. plant alongrails 15.v Themain carriage 14vcarriesrails.: 17 which extend in a direction transverse to `rails..15: Az. relatively smaller, motor. driven .carriage-,.18 is mounted on the rails 17, andthis carriagelS carries'thefcustomary motor driven'drum, not shown, for. raising or lowering@ the cable19 land hook 20 von .the end of thecable. Anoperator while positioned in vcab 21. canoperatefthecon-1` trols for. moving .the crane. 11 falongrailsf 15, forrnovingg.y the carriage 18 along.rails..17,' and4 for raisingand lower-.f ing the crane hookk 20.'. The; crane..11may be-.of any-.- suitable .-type.' customarily vused around steelplants; forfz conveying. materials around Vthe. plant.l

The converter. plant-in `additionto.,1inclu'ding;.a crane,A 11 and. `a converter. einstallation or .blowingg .station-,1. whichare customary also includes .afnovelrrelining o1,- repair station at..22... This. relining station will be more:- fully described later.

Referring more particularlylo Figu'resvl` and. 3, at .then blowing stationor converter installation-'10,. thereis a z converter 251rnountedon a pair of trunnions 26.rotatab ly. mounted Vin bearings.27 lcarried by ,fixed piers. 28-whichm are arranged in. a .xedrposition .-onsuitable foundations,,, notshown.: The converter 25..'can be tiltedtorrotated on the trunnions.. Converter 25;,inclu'des anr outer metal shell 29 lined, witha layer ofrefractorymaterial` 30.1. The, body portion `31'of the converter-.iscylindrical .or v substantially.v cylindrical.- i. The'Y nose portion; 32 .-of; the r converter `is disposed .at angle.. to .the body portion ,withvw the Aaxis ofthe noseportiomatan. obtusemangleitohthew axis of the body. This type `of converter is ltntiwnas an eccentric` converter.

The, converter. 25. canrbe yrotatedmor .tilted'...on tmnn-ions.x 26 which v extend '.outwardly and.lin..oppositendiretions.. from a ringfl' encircling theibody' portion :l Lof .theta converter 25; O n oneofthe trunnions26, 'there=is,mour1t;.- ed vand,` connected thereto a spur` gearY 35 'which meshes p withfa -vertically movable yrackf'it "carriedby'a 'supporti 37. The rack 36 is power actuated and when it is derable to tilt or invert the converter 25, the rack 36 is moved vertically, upwardly or downwardly to rotate the gear 35 and turn the converter 25 about the axes of the trunnions, which axes are horizontally aligned.

The pig iron charged to the converter is blown with a blast of oxygen containing gas, usually air, although oxygen-enriched air or other oxygen containing gas may be used. The bottom of the converter is closed with a detachable bottom 39 which is lined with refractory material. Tuyres, not shown, extend through the bottom and the bottom is detachably held in place by bolts 40. Beneath bottom 39, there is removably fastened a hollow windboX 41. The blast of air for blowing the iron is supplied by means of supply pipe 42 connected to a suitable blower or other source of air under pressure as is customary for converter installations. Pipe 42 is connected through a flexible connection 43 to the outer end of the second trunnion 26 which is hollow. This hollow trunnion is connected by pipe 45 to Windbox 41. Pipe 45 is made in sections constructed and arranged to permit easy removal of the windbox 4l. When an air blast is supplied to pipe 42, the blast of air flows through connection 43, trunnion 26 and pipe 45 to windbox 41 and from the windbox 41 through bottom 39 and then through the molten metal in the converter 25.

In operation, the rack 36 is moved vertically to turn the converter about 90 from the position shown in Figure 3 so that the converter is on its side. The molten pig iron and the scrap metal, if any, are charged into the converter. Before or at the time when the molten metal is charged into the converter, the blast is turned on to prevent the metal from entering and clogging the tuyres. As soon as charging of the metal has been completed, the converter is turned up to the vertical position by actuation of rack 36. The blowing of the blast through the converter is continued and, when blowing of the metal is completed, the converter is again turned down to pour the blown metal into a receiver such as a ladle. The cycle of operations is then repeated. The converter may be turned in opposite directions for charging and pouring by moving the rack 36 in opposite directions.

After a number of cycles of operations have been completed, the refractory lining becomes so severely eroded that it must be replaced. When the converter must be relined, and in accordance with the usual prior art procedure, the windbox 41 and the bottom 39 are removed. The converter linlng remaining in the shell is removed, and the debris drops to the floor 47 beneath the converter and is then removed from the plant. After the old lining has been removed, a new lining of refractory bricks is cemented in place with refractory cementitious material. After the new lining is in place, the lining is heated to drive off the moisture from the cement. When the converter has been completely dried out, the bottom 39 and windbox 41 are attached and the converter then can be put back into operation. Removing the old lining, putting in the new lining and drying out the new lining all takes a long time extending over a number of days. While these various relining steps are being carried out, the converter 25 is out of operation, and no metal is being blown. Accordingly, the production of blown metal drops during this relining period. In addition, when the converter is out of operation, the converter plant requires less molten pig iron from the blast furnace. It is quite difcult to vary the operation of the blast furnace to produce less pig iron so that it becomes necessary to find another outlet for the excess molten pig iron, if possible. Where the mill cannot use this excess metal in some other` operation, it may be necessary to cast the molten pig iron into pigs. When the pig iron is cast, it cools and solidies so that the heat in the molten pig iron is lost. Accordingly, shutting down the converter for relining or other repairs causes a drop in production and also in the amount of molten pig iron used by the plant, and this, in turn, causes other problems to arise.

In accordance with the present invention, there is no material loss of time when it becomes necessary to reline or repair the converter 25. A spare converter 56 is provided on a novel car 51 and when the converter 25 must be relined, it is replaced by the spare converter 50 and the converter 25 is placed on the car 51 and relined at the relining station 22. In order to avoid confusion in the following description, the manipulation of the converter on the car 51 and the relining of a converter, all at the station 22, will be described in connection with converter 50 as though converter 50 had been removed from the blowing station 1t) for relining. it is to be understood that converters 50 and 25 are interchangeable and that when either converter is removed from the blowing station and is replaced by the other, the removed converter becomes the spare converter. In practice, there may be either one or a plurality of blowing stations and one relining station. The corresponding portions of converters Si) and 25 will be designated by the same reference nnmerals.

Before the converter at the blowing station 16 is removed, the spare relined converter on car 51 is removed from the car. The spare converter may be set aside in any suitable location, and it may be desirable to set the spare converter on the .mill floor. The crane 11 is used for removing the spare converter 50 from car 51. Where more than one crane is available, as may be the case in some converter plants, a crane similar to crane 11 may be used to lift converter 50 and then the crane and converter moved to one side out of the way. Before removing the converter 25 from the blowing station 10, the blast pipe 42 is disconnected at 43 and the top halves of bearings 27 are removed so that the converter 25 can be lifted off of the piers 28. Preferably, but not necessarily, the windbox 41 and bottom 39 are removed. Before the converter is lifted olf of the piers 28, the rack 36 is actuated to invert the converter. A pair of lifting lugs 54 are mounted on opposite sides of the converter below trunnions 26 and between the trunnions 26 and the bottom of the converter. A second pair of lugs 55 are mounted on opposite sides of the converter above the trunnions 26. When the converter is inverted by means of rack 36 and gear 35, the lugs 54 will be above the trunnions. The crane 11 is then moved into position and lifts the converter 25 from the piers by means of a sling 56 extending from crane hook 20, the ends of the sling are adapted to engage the two lifting ings 54. The cable 19 is then shortened to lift the converter and the crane is then moved over to the car 51 and placed on the car 51.

After the converter has been removed from the blowing station 10, the spare converter is lifted ofi the mill iloor 47 and lowered into position on piers 28. The blast pipe 42 is connected, and if they have not already been attached, the bottom 39 and the windboX 41 are attached. The upper halves of the bearings 27 are bolted in place and the spare converter is put into operation very quickly. A spare bottom 39 preferably is provided so that no time is lost waiting for the bottom to be relined.

When the converter is removed from the blowing station 10 to the relining station 22, the removed converter becomes the spare and will be referred to as converter Sii. The converter 50 is placed on car 51 by means of crane 11 when the car is in the loading and unloading position A, shown in full lines in Figures l and 2, and the car is subsequently moved to positions B and C, all as will be more fully hereinafter described.

Referring more particularly to Figures 4, 5 and 6 which illustrate the construction of car 51, the converter car 51 includes a base or oor portion 57 and spaced supports 58 bolted or otherwise fastened together to form a unitary car or carriage frame mounted on wheels 59. As shown in Figures l and 2, the car wheels are mounted on rails 60 for movement therealong to positions A, B and C. lf desirable, a different type of wheels 59 may be used. The car frame carries a pair of bearings 61 with one bearing 61 being mounted on each support or upright 58 in position to receive the corresponding trunnions 26. Preferably, the bearings 61 are open bearings facing upwardly so that the converter can be placed in or removed from the bearings without the necessity of `removing bearing caps.

The car 51 includes means for holding the converter in the desired position and for preventing the converter from tilting, particularly when the car 51 is moved along the rails 60. As shown more clearly in FiguresA 5 and 6, the

- guide lugs or protuberances 55 of the converter are in 'of the converter is not located along line 63 which is the longitudinal axis of the converter, particularly of the bodytportionnbutgis 'locatedttol theeleft loflinenfgapproxiezn mately at. 64,-1asaviewedeinnFigure. y5. r. Thusr'fftheilugst-SSt-i' are: to.- one :side of. .the center. of gravty.;64i Y Thecar S11-includes a camfomountedonthe;carlframe;L

belowweach bearingfl.. Each.cam.a.66. includesi.a camta5 surface .67S that-is inclined upwardly'. andulaterally trom.; a point.j substantially directly below-the -center. of..the.... correspondingLbeaIing 61. Whenthe converter is lowered..i to vbe placedr'intof position in thenbe'arings61,.rthecon;,a l

verterlis ysupported `by thei lugs-54-and due Ato .thelocationl 10 trunnions'26are positioned inthe/bearings y61; the lugsSS, 20

which act as Acam-followers,l rfirst engage thevcamsurfaces 67 'and thenethe cam yfollowers 55k-slide downfalongfrthe f inclinedtcamsurfaces 67.'A This rotatesthegconverterand Y moves the-cam'followers a55-'tothe -leftforina direction y toward" ltheh center-of*gravity.' When` they trunnions 26.U come to'rest inthe bearingsfthecenter ofy gravity' l64 is to'l one-side'of;a verticalplane includingjthe-trunnion axes, andthev cam-surfaces 67 are` inclined'awayy from this .plane s, in a'direction opposite-to thecenter of"'gravity;1U The lugs e SSJare'Urged against the cam surfaces 67. by'jgravity'so 30 thatthe weight of'the converter urges the lugsf55 against the4 cams and tends to hold 'theconverteriin the'position` shown'in full lines; This arrangement tends to reduce tilting of' the converter'becanse v'off the location of"4 the` 3- center of" gravity with respect to the axis ofthe trunnions. a

Preferably, a slot 69 is provided in each- Support portion;v 58` and belowy the corresponding bearing y61 butspaced frm'the corresponding camrsurface 571. Afterth'econverteris in position, a bar.70` 'can be l,inserted through each slot to engagethe corresponding` lug 55"'011 asidej opposite to that sidewhichengagescam surface, 57."`k Preferably, a slot bracket71 is Amountedon ,eachnpr-ight;v and they bar 70 extendsthrougha bracket 71 and a slot. y 69V so as Ato providebetter,supp.ort,;for,the.bar., .Theba'rsfA 70 prevent the lugsfrom. moving. away from.,t l1`=carns and. the `converter cannottilt if 'the ,car is .given a sudden. yank While being moved ...or if .for any reason rthecoIl-r verter becomes unbalancedso that it `tendstotilt away from Vthe cams 56.' In addition-,fthe camsurfacesare` arranged so as to hold the converter in such a position thatA .50

theaxis `of the body portion ,is substantallyrvertical for.V the, reasons :more fully. hereinafter described'.A

The rails 60. extend across .a pit .72` belowthelevel of., theoor 47.n After the converter. has ,been positioned on the carSl while in the loading and unloadingpositionA, v. the. car 5l is moved along the rails..to.position-.B rover...r thezpit 72. Any-f suitable means .may be provided :fon--V moving the carback and -forthalongthe rails, f Asshown,

a cable drum 74. and. an electric-motor 75 `for driving the.. -60

drum 74 are, mounted in. a suitable receptacle76.-x A cable; 77 is mounted on drum 74. and .thezcablefhas .on-.its-outcrfi-- endfa hook 78'whch detachablyengagesan eye 79 on the car 51'." When it is desirable to movethecar 51 tothe,

power-actuated `means for moving the.,car 514 in either.

direction along the rails. YWhen it is intended to leave thercar in one position, the cablesmayabe detached from.,V the car and stored in their respective receptacles.4 lnaddif. tion, and as .Willbe subsequently described, the hook. l

and particularly. hook '78 may be attachedto thcconverter` `g() for tilting the converter. i

After: the converter `hasbeen .placed lon ,can 5L and the car-,moved to position-B, theold. refractory, materialfis .T removed. The ,carfoor:57;'ncludesyanr openingorepas sage 89. A coverf'platenormallygcoxerszthismpenings,

Beforetetheiold liningvissremovcdathe coyenllrsftakll oitssof that thetdebrimcandrop;thnoughetheiaruinto than, pit ..72 zandnout; totltthe, rway. i.' '1`he.;ol1. flirting. small be gre.

movediiwith ,.zthe..,convertcr, positioned-.so v .thatlitheiaxis .Oftr rthefloody portionftiis verticaltasais shownninffulllinese.. in .Figure .w Preferably, the Y,converter-is .,tilt f:.d.-` SOcl Iha.t,.-. theqaxis offthe eccentricnosegz is.suostantially vertical., andthe.: nose;.opening is su bstantially, horizontalas.-shown; l, in broken ,linesin leigure. 5.,. Accordingly, means are prony vided for holding `1heco11v.erter.in ,the last. ,descr1bed.o position.:. As showninFigures-5 and;6,.fa pair otspacedl slots92;;are .provided infplate 193I`orming part otbeacha. upright orpostl 58av .The'gslots 921.areA laterally spaced... aparta distancexsubstantially equal. toithe widthiotllugs 5.;,- A slotted*.bracket.:95.is mounted-.on each: Yupright 56..- pairsolbarsaare `inserted through slotsl .and slotted bracket- 95.I to hold..the converter..in..the tilted. position. Beforefthe-converteris tiltedetheibarsi 96 tare removed Y andv'thelhookS on'cablefl 'is attached: totheconverter.

at-any convenientpointiandlthe drum 74L`isthenrotatedx to 'tilt theconverter.l After the .converter -has beentilted,

the Ibars 96f=are .positioned- -on opposite lsides. ofl the llugs 5S' for holding thelconverterf in this .positionk With the .i

converter-tilted lto the'pogsitionl shown in `broken lines in.

Figure -5, the'debris.canmorereadily.dropintopit 72.

After..theold erodedglining has-been-removed, a newlininghrnust` be yplaced-insideof` .the converter shell 31; To lfacilitate yrelining the converter, a buildingor shed-9S is provided at the relining station 22.- The building frame-- includes-vertica1 post-s -99-1 and horizontal @beams 100 which supporta lloorl -101-below'the bottom-ofthein verted-converter, that is, the converter extends Labove thel 1 hoor-A101; As'shown in Figurel, the oor 101 is U-vshaped vwith-one-leg l02-extending;-along one side and with the other leg 103 extending forwardly--along the1 Oppositesideof=theJ converter. The-,.U--shaped floor llincludes a base-portion1104-connecting the'leg portions v102y and 103:* Theba'se'iportion 104 isznotpermanently attached .3 to4 and-is readilyyremovable from. beams'100 to permit :v movement `of'the. car topcgsitionl C." TheV U-shaped oor 101'efa'ces or has lits'opening toward-theloading 4station Av to permit movement of the car from the car 51y Jfrom position A to positionUB without.interferencewithl the flo'or. The 'floor- 101 permits the workmen to move aroundtheupper portion of the converter.

The -building 93l'includesa protectivez roof 10,6.`andl a crane 107` that is smaller.y than but similar, to `crane 11'.' Like crane r11,'crane107is universally movableg CraneA 10.7.V is utilized for lifting. materialsup toplatfo'rm `101;.' Rails y108i extend outside thebuilding 3830 thatmaterials stored in. the lyard, maybe brought into. theAA building. .1

The ,relining of l.the convertertlj on Vthe ,car51' While in.V the reliningposition Bat the reliningstation ,22 maybe fcarriedout 7in any, suitable'fmanner and, 4if. desirable, temporary, platforms, not shown, maybe erectedv on the car., platform andcover. Usually, .such `platforms are; desirabl'elto `facilitate reliningthe relatively high converter.;

Beforemor, ,after the converten is `relined, A it may be. desirableto replace the linersll,:on.trunnions.26.-This is ,quite- .diilicult to..accomplish While the converterfis at the blowinglstationt- A shelfor projectionalll is provided oneachuprightbelow thebearings 61.' Jackst can be. .placedonthese.projections,for lifting the converter i trunnions part Way out of the bearingsfso,that.sleeves;110. canbereadily. removed and-replaced by newsleeves, after which the converter; is .lowered -back vinto position.

After. .the1converter 50. hasbeen relined, the'car 51 may bemoved to positionr A, particularly -if the-spareycon-v verteris needed to ireplraceganeroded-converteraba blow- Y. ing station. .The converter maygnotbe neededimmediately;` and usually is moved by- -meansi-of cable 77 'to-position- C to. expose-the pit-72` and-permit-the .debris to be removed i from: the'spit.: Usually the car-Willbelleft in the storage position C aftenbeing movedzfrom .therelining positionl B until: needed. The car is out of the Way in positionl C. y Inl some converter plants, the floor iscovered with 'tracks `v for bringing ladies into and out of the plant, and the car@k at;y position A may' block 'some ofthese tracks.A `It is pref-LA erable to have only the loadingiand-unloading position A inside oftheconverterplant or building and-tohave the relining-position B.and the4 storagefposit-ion-C outside' of* the::converter= building.- Before.:the=,car is moved from 1 positionr 5to :position .-C; V.the back.4 *portion 10X15-off theA 'platfqrmfltllis removedai;

Assuming the car 51 to be in position C and that the spare converter has been relined and is ready for use, and that operation of the blowing station has progressed so that the converter at the blowing station must be relined. When the converter at the blowing station must be relined, the car 51 is moved from position C out to position A. The converter is then litted off of the car by means of the crane 11. The converter at the blowing station is then lifted from the blowing station by the crane 11 and transferred to the car 5l. As the converter is lowered onto the car, the lugs 55 slide down along the cam surfaces 67 so that when the trunnions 26 are in position in the bearings 61, the converter is in the vertical position shown in le'igure 5. With the converter in this position, the lugs ee are urged against the cam surfaces 6l by gravity. Before moving the car 51 to position B over the pit 72, a bar 70 is placed in position to prevent tilting of the converter. 'the cable 77 is then attached to the car and the car is moved over the pit 72. The old lining may be removed from the verter while the converter is in this position. Preferably, the cable 77 is removed from the car and attached to the converter and the bar 7i? is removed. The motor 75 is then energized to tilt the converter to the position shown in broken lines in Figure 5. The bars or pins 96 are then slid into position to engage the opposite sides of the lugs 55 to hold the converter in the tilted position. After the old lining has been removed, the nose of the converter is relined with the converter held in the tilted position. After the nose has `been relined, the bars 96 are removed and the converter is tilted back tothe vertical position for relining of the body portion 31. After the converter has been relined, the car is moved to position C and the debris is removed from pit 72.

Relining of the converter at the relining station 22 does not affect operation of the blowing station l0. As soon as the new converter is positioned on the piers 28 and the various connections made, the converter can be put back into operation. rlime is not lost as a result of relining the converter or as a result of having to dry out the lining.

I claim:

l. A car for supporting and transporting a steel converter with the nose downward of the type having a trunnion on two opposite sides and an outwardly extending lug on a side of the converter between a trunnion and the nose of the converter, the center of gravity of the converter being at one side of a plane passing througr the axes of the trunnions and the center of the lug, said car comprising, in combination, a frame including spaced uprights, wheels movably supporting the frame, bearing means on each upright rotatably engaging the trunnions for supporting a converter so that the converter can be tilted about the axis of the trunnions, and a cam on an upright below the corresponding bearing means including a cam surface for engaging a surface of the lug, the cam surface being inclined upwardly and laterally from a point substantially directly below the center of the corresponding bearing means.

2. A car for supporting and transporting a steel converter with the nose downward of the type having a trunnion on two opposite sides and an outwardly extending lug on a side of the converter between a trunnion and the nose of the converter, the center of gravity of the converter being at one side of a plane passing through the axes of the trunnions and the center of the lug, said car comprising, in combination, a frame including spaced uprights, wheels movably supporting the frame, bearing means on each upright rotatably engaging the trunnions for supporting a converter so that the converter can be tilted about the aXis of the trunnions, a cam on an upright below the corresponding bearing means including a cam surface for engaging a surface of the lug, the cam surface being inclined upwardly and laterally from a point substantially directly below the center of the corresponding bearing means, a door between the uprights, an opening in the floor through which debris from the converter may pass, and a removable cover on the oor closing the opening.

3. A car for supporting and transporting a steel converter with the nose downward of the type having a trunnion on two opposite sides and an outwardly extending lug on a side of the converter between a trunnion and the nose of the converter, the center of gravity of d the converter being at one side of a plane passing through the-axes of the trunnions and the center of the lug, said car comprising, in combination, a frame including spaced uprights, wheels movably supporting the frame, bearing means on each upright rotatably engaging the trunnions for supporting a converter so that the converter can be tilted about the axis of the trunnions, a cam on an upright below the corresponding bearing means including a cam surface for engaging a surface of the lug, the cam surface being inclined upwardly and laterally from a'point substantially directly below the center of the corresponding bearing means and being on the opposite side of the plane from the center of gravity of the converter whereby the lug is prged against the cam surface under the influence of gravity, and means spaced from the cam surface for engaging a surface of the converter lug opposite the surface of the converter lug engaged by the cam surface.

4. A converter car adapted to support a converter, said converter including a cylindrical body having an eccentric nose at one end and trunnion means on the body portion and converter cam means between the trunnion means and the eccentric nose, the converter cam means having a camming surface and the converter cam means and the trunnion means lying in a common plane on one side of the center of gravity of the converter, the center of gravity being located between the trunnion means and the eccentric nose, the converter car comprising a car frame including spaced uprights, wheels for supporting the car frame, bearing means on the spaced uprights adapted to receive the trunnion means and support the converter between the spaced uprights for swinging movement about the trunnion means, car cam means having a camming surface supported on the car frame, the camming surfaces of the car cam means and the converter cam means being in camming relation with the trunnion means in the bearing means and with the converter in a nose-down position, the camming surfaces being operable when in camming relation to rotate the converter about the axis of the trunnion means to a position in which the common plane of the trunnion means and the converter cam means is substantially coincident with a vertical plane passing through the bearing means, the car cam means being on one side of the verticai plane and the center of gravity of the converter being on the other side of the vertical plane, whereby the converter cam means is urged by gravity into engagement with the car cam means.

5. A converter car adapted to support a converter, said ie converter including a cylindrical body portion having an eccentric nose at one end and trunnion means on opposite sides of the body portion and converter cam means on each side of the body portion below the trunnion means and between the trunnion means and the eccentric nose, each of the converter earn means having a camming surface, the converter cam means and the trunnion means lying in a common plane on one side of the center of gravity of the converter, the center of gravity of the converter being located between the trunnion means and the eccentric nose, the converter car comprising a car frame including spaced uprights, wheels for supporting the car frame, bearing means on the spaced uprights adapted to receive the trunnion means and support the converter between the spaced uprights for swinging movement about the trunnion means, car cam means having a camming surface supported on each of the uprights below respective bearing means, the camming surfaces of the car cam means and the converter cam means being in camming relation with the trunnion means in the bearing means and with the converter in a nose-down position, the camming surfaces being operable when in camming relation to rotate the converter about the aXis of the trunnion means to a position in which the common plane of the trunnion means and the converter carn means is substantially coincidental with a vertical plane passing through the bearing means, the car cam means being on one side of the vertical plane and the center of gravity of the converter being on the other side of the vertical plane, whereby the converter cam means is urged by gravity into engagement with the car cam means.

6. A converter car as defined in claim 5 in which lock means are provided for locking the converter with its body portion in a verticalposition and with the converter vcam means contacting the car cam means.

7. A converter car as dened in claim 5 in which means are provided for supporting the converter with its eccentric nose in a vertical position.

8. A converter car as defined in claim 5 provided with a oor between the uprights below the converter and an opening in the oor through which debris from within the converter may pass, and a removable cover for closing the opening.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date De La Sauce.... Y Oct. 27, 1896 McCullough et al Apr. 15, 1902 Beaudet Apr. 30, 1907 Astrom Apr. 12, 1910 Hare July 5, 1910 Astrom Apr. 18, 1924 Astrom June 30, 1931 Pollock et al. Jan. 5, 1932 Sorensen May 31, 1932 Staley Nov. 2, 1943 Trimble June 10, 1947 Morey et al. July 6, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Oct. 5, 1945 

